I build websites for restaurants in Louisville, and the same question comes up almost every time: "What do I actually need on my restaurant's website?" The answer is simpler than most people think. You don't need animations or a homepage video that takes 10 seconds to load. You need the basics done right.
Most restaurant websites I come across have one of two problems. Either they don't exist at all (the owner relies on Facebook and DoorDash), or they exist but they're slow, outdated, and missing the information customers are looking for. Both cost you money. If you're looking for restaurant website design, these are the 7 features I focus on and why each one matters.
Why Your Restaurant Website Matters More Than You Think
Before someone walks through your door, they usually want the same few things: menu, hours, location, photos, and whether they can order or call quickly. If what they find is a broken page or a PDF menu they can't read on their phone, they're going to pick someone else.
Here are the 7 things that separate a restaurant website that works from one that just takes up space on the internet.
The 7 Features That Actually Matter
A Mobile-First Menu (Not a PDF)
Most restaurant searches happen on a phone. If your menu is a PDF, people have to download it, pinch to zoom, and squint at tiny text on a 6-inch screen. Many will just go somewhere else.
Your menu should be actual text on the page. It loads instantly, it's readable at any screen size, and Google can index it. When someone in the Highlands searches "best tacos near me," Google can pull from your menu and show your site. A PDF is invisible to search engines.
What I look for: Can a hungry person open the menu, read it, and decide in under a minute? No downloads, no zooming, no mystery categories. Just open the site and start reading.
Accurate Hours and Location with Google Maps
This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised. I've lost count of how many restaurant websites I've visited where the hours are wrong, the address is buried in the footer in 10px font, or there's no map at all.
Your hours and address should be on the homepage, visible without scrolling on mobile. And embed a Google Map so people can tap it and get directions. No one is going to copy your address, open Google Maps separately, and paste it in. Make it one tap.
Practical example: If your Google listing says one thing, your website says another, and your Facebook page says a third, customers do not know which one to trust. Pick the source of truth, update it, and make sure your website and Google Business Profile match.
Online Ordering Links (Direct, Not Just DoorDash)
If the only way to order from you online is through a third-party app, you're sending customers through someone else's system first. That may still be useful, but it should not be the only path.
Your website should have a clear "Order Online" button that links to your own ordering system. Platforms like Toast, Square Online, and ChowNow let you take orders directly without the massive commission. Your website becomes the place that routes people to you, not to a middleman.
What I look for: The order button should be obvious in the header, near the menu, and on mobile. If you have direct ordering, make that the first option. If you only use third-party ordering right now, still make the path clear so customers are not hunting for it.
Quick math on ordering fees: Third-party apps can be useful, but every order routed through them has a cost. If your own website can send even some repeat customers to your direct ordering path, the website is doing real work.
Real Photos of Your Food and Space
Stock photos of generic pasta don't fool anyone. People can tell when the photos aren't yours, and it hurts trust. You don't need a professional photographer. A well-lit photo taken on a decent phone, near a window, with the food on a clean plate, works fine.
Take photos of your best dishes, your dining room, your patio, your bar. Show people what they're actually going to get.
What I look for: Use photos that feel like your actual place. A real burger on your counter beats a perfect stock burger from a studio. Your customer can tell the difference.
Need a Restaurant Website That Works?
I build restaurant websites for Louisville businesses. Custom design, mobile-friendly, with the basics handled the right way. Pro is $2,500 setup and $399/month.
Google Business Profile Connection
Your website and your Google Business Profile should work together. When someone searches "restaurants in NuLu" or "brunch near me Louisville," Google pulls from your Business Profile to show you in the map results. Your website backs that up.
Your Business Profile needs to link to your website, and your website needs to have matching information: same name, same address, same phone number, same hours. When Google sees consistent info across both, it trusts you more and ranks you higher.
If you haven't set up your Google Business Profile yet, I wrote a full guide on how to get your business on Google. It's free to set up and it's one of the most important things you can do for your restaurant's online presence.
Click-to-Call Phone Number on Every Page
When someone is on your site on their phone, they should be able to tap your number and call you instantly. Not find your contact page, not scroll to the footer. One tap.
Put your phone number in the header of every page, linked so it's tappable on mobile. People call restaurants for reservations, large party questions, dietary needs, holiday hours. Make it easy.
What I look for: Open the site on your phone and try to call. If it takes more than one tap once the page loads, the phone number is not doing its job.
Fast Loading Speed
If your website is slow on a phone, hungry customers do not wait around. They go back to Google and tap the next result.
The biggest culprits for slow restaurant websites are oversized images, too many scripts and plugins, and cheap hosting. A well-built restaurant site should feel quick on normal mobile service. That means optimized images, clean code, and solid hosting.
What I look for: I test the page on mobile, not just on a fast desktop connection. If the menu, phone number, and location are slow to appear, that is the first thing to fix.
What You Don't Need
Just as important as what to include is what to skip:
- Autoplay background videos. They slow your site down and eat through mobile data. A good photo does the same job.
- Complex reservation systems. Unless you're fine dining, a phone number and maybe an OpenTable link is plenty.
- Embedded social media feeds. They slow the page and pull attention from your menu. Link to your accounts instead.
- Elaborate animations. Your brisket photo sliding in from the left doesn't make anyone hungrier. It just makes the page slower.
A Note About Facebook Pages vs. Websites
I talk to restaurant owners all the time who say, "I have a Facebook page, do I really need a website?" Short answer: yes. Facebook limits what you can control, changes its algorithm whenever it wants, and a lot of people don't even have Facebook accounts anymore. Your website is yours. You control it. I wrote more about this in my article on website vs. Facebook page if you want the full breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my restaurant need online ordering on the website?
You don't need a full ordering system built into your site. But you should have a clear link to wherever customers can order directly from you, whether that's Toast, Square, ChowNow, or another platform. The goal is to send people to the ordering path you control best. Even a simple "Order Online" button that links to your own ordering page makes a difference.
Should I put my full menu on my website?
Yes, and it should be actual text on the page, not a PDF. A text-based menu loads faster on phones, is readable without pinching and zooming, and Google can actually index it so you show up when someone searches for specific dishes. If your menu changes often, keep a simplified version on your site with your core items and update it when things change significantly.
How do I get my restaurant on Google Maps?
Create a free Google Business Profile at business.google.com. Enter your restaurant name, address, phone number, hours, and category. Google will verify your location, usually by sending a postcard with a code. Once verified, your restaurant appears on Google Maps and in local search results. I have a complete guide to Google Business Profile setup if you want the full walkthrough.
The Bottom Line
A good restaurant website doesn't need to be fancy. It needs to be fast, accurate, and easy to use on a phone. Get your menu on there as text. Show your real hours and location. Link to your best ordering path. Use your own photos. Connect your Google Business Profile. Make the phone number tappable. And make sure the whole thing loads fast enough that customers do not give up.
That's it. Those 7 things cover what restaurant customers usually need when they visit your site. Nail those and you're ahead of a lot of restaurants with outdated or Facebook-only web presences.
If you want help getting this done, I build restaurant websites for Louisville businesses. Custom design, not a template. Everything important on this list is included in Pro: $2,500 setup, then $399/month for hosting, updates, support, local SEO, and reporting. Your site can be live in 1-2 weeks.
Call or text me at (502) 305-4043 and let's talk about your restaurant.
